As any regular AP reader will know, YouTube tends to test little server-side changes in its Android app quite often. The latest one we've spotted appears to have been in the pipeline for a while now - a granular mobile data usage setting in place of the standard HD toggle.

left: old. right: new.

The feature's been in testing for a while now; we first received a tip back in March on YouTube 12.07.61. Basically, whenever you're on mobile data, any video you watch will be limited to the quality that you select in the settings. So while you could previously only choose between 480p and no limit at all previously, you can now choose any quality from 144p all the way up to "no quality limit."

For those of you who need to strike the perfect balance between saving data and watching that new video from your favorite YouTube channel, Android Police, this could come in handy. I don't see it on any of my devices; let us know if you are in the comments below.

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Maybe if curators would spend more time properly writing and editing their videos and less time begging for "likes" and subscriptions, then we wouldn't have this problem.

someone755

I don't see how that's a problem that increased speed can solve. My university has recorded some lectures and they're available online. They're all well structured and thought-out, but you can set the speed to 1.5x and still understand and comprehend everything that is being said.

Of course once you've been through this ordeal a couple of times you'll have no trouble whizzing through them at 2x speed. So a 40 minute video becomes 20 minutes etc, and no information is being lost -- otherwise this would be pretty risky since you can't afford to skip anything the professor says in the video.

Kree Terry

It's basically the same concept for podcasts and we have had playback speed control in podcast apps for ages.

I don't think he does, as far as I'm concerned it's normal talking speed. It's the pauses he has to make so that the students attending the lecture don't get completely baffled and have time to comprehend what's being said.

If you want I can link you to the videos but I doubt you'll understand much, even at 1x speed (they're all in Slovene).

Johnny Doe

Podcasts, reviews, and other stuff where I just want the information and nothing else. Got in a habit of watching at 2x and now they sound too slow.

Is it an epidemic of bad videomaking that is causing this to even become a "need?" Perhaps there's an underlying problem that channel curators need to be made aware of instead of allowing YouTube to enable their poor behavior through crutch features.

Johnny Doe

It's a multiple fold thing as most movie reviews are just someone sitting and rambling, sometimes about useless stuff. Most tech reviews are B-roll with someone talking about stuff, there are exceptions like Ash Tailor.

Youtubers were not good with precise content to begin with but as YouTube pushes for longer content they have to increase their run-times somehow. It's not like I'm watching stand-up comedy, sketches, thriller stuff on higher speed I respect the content with timing but for most videos you are better off saving some time.

Sure if that's what you take away from that but like another user pointed out it's a huge time saver even if the video you're watching is a well structured quality lecture. I'm sure a ton of people watch Jordan Peterson lectures at a higher speed.

Like for podcasts, to speed up playback. I listen to all podcasts at 1.5x speed and with the audio gap removal.

DragoCubed

Server side changes? Why does Google do this

Good_Ole_Pinocchio

I want to set my videos to stream at 1440p at ALL TIMES unless that's not available from the video. I want a permanent toggle in the settings to stream the highest possible quality unless I manually downgrade. I hate having to toggle UP

THIS! My shitty internet can do 360- 480p but every time the video starts in 144p and I have to increase it manually for EVERY single video. They can just add a "preferred quality" option but google wants to use their smartass AI which fails completely unless you have google fiber

PhantomGamers

I have gigabit internet and on my desktop I still use a chrome extension to force higher quality video

Better than nothing but why won't they just add an option to not stream over cellular and enable it by default. Twice now I've burned through all my data because my phone dropped off wifi during an HD video and my settings had been reset for some reason or another.

YaKillaCJ

I believe this has been built into Android now for awhile since Marshmallow. In the Settings per App. You can block mobile data altogether. Tho I don't know because I haven't used stock since Cupcake lol, currently using Miui that has it.

Btw this is essential doing what U want as it effects mobile data usage.

boop

You can restrict background data usage on cellular but not foreground. And my issue with this setting is that it still allows streaming on cellular and it's disabled by default. If, somehow the app's settings are reset (i.e. clearing data after a bug or undesirable interface test, or just getting a new phone) then full quality over cellular is re-enabled. Weirdly, YouTube Music can block all streaming over cellular but not YouTube proper.

YaKillaCJ

Ah that sucks. Well I haven't had stock in forever. Every rom I have had it properly built in.

Not available for now for me.
And i just notice that with the new UI, the hamburger menu is gone...
Haa Google, always changing is mind...

Paul Millington

I wish they would add this to WiFi as well. Some of us still have caps on it.

TAMMYANN J

Yes I see it.. my note 5 has it. I don't know when my phone started getting this, but I have it. I guess it's ok. Cuz before I had to always go in & hit the hd for videos & I've just been noticing that the videos automatically go to hd. I guess it's how it's set up now cuz it's on no quality limit. It has data saver at top then the 144p to the720p numbers & then at bottom no quality limit.Thanks

Christo Wilfred

There has to be a specific reason that YouTube doesn't continue to play audio when the app screen is minimized. Anyone know this specific reason?

Ra1nb0wD4sh DE

There's no reason, I think. Try NewPipe - it has a pop-up and background player mode (and it's the only app I know with a progress bar in the notification): https://newpipe.schabi.org